Richter wants congressional term limits, budget reforms

Republican House candidate David Richter called for a series of constitutional amendments in an effort to boost his bid amid a near-total loss of institutional support following Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (R-Dennis) defection from the Democratic party.

Richter told New Jersey’s Constitutional Republicans he would seek amendments requiring Congress to pass balanced budgets, providing the president with the power to line-item veto budget items and imposing term limits on members of Congress.

“The United States Constitution is the greatest political document ever drafted,” said Richter.  “We don’t need to in any way fix it, but we do need fundamental structural change in how Congress operates or we risk within the next generation or two the insolvency of this great nation.”

The budget powers Richter seeks exist in New Jersey, where the governor can strike specific items in each year’s budget.

The once-frontrunner wants members of Congress to serve no more than 12 consecutive years in the same House of Congress.

House members in the 115 Congress had served an average of 9.4 years. Their Senate counterparts averaged 10.1 years.

Richter’s call for constitutional amendments comes as the second district’s Republican leaders align behind Van Drew, who left the Democratic party last month after losing support among its rank-and-file members over his opposition to impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.

“The citizens of South Jersey need a real Republican in Congress who will work hard for smaller government, lower taxes and secure borders, and who will fight to protect, not undermine, their constitutional rights,” Richter said. “Despite his recent switch to the Republican Party, Van Drew voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi 91% of the time last year and with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 84% of the time.”